India is a democratic republic where people elect their own representatives. All grown-up citizens of the country, with certain exceptions, have a right to elect their representatives.
General elections are held once in every five years normally. All citizens of 18 years and above, male and female have the right to vote. A few days before the elections various political parties carry on intensive propaganda in favour of their candidates. Meetings are held, posters are pasted on walls and leaflets are distributed. We have an Election Commission which decides when elections would be held and notifies its order.
On the scheduled day people come to the polling booth to cast their votes for the candidates. There is a great hustle and bustle there. Polling is held in a room under the strict supervision of an officer-in-charge. There is an entrance and an exit for the voters every voter is given a ballot paper. The voter puts a cross against the name of the person or the symbol of the party in whose favour he or she wants to cast vote. The paper is then folded and put into the sealed ballot box.
During the polling hours, the members of the different parties are seen busily engaged in bringing voters in taxis, cars, three-wheelers and tongas. They canvass and persuade them to cast votes in favour of their candidates. But they cannot do so near the pooling both. There is a long line of voters in front of the polling room. In the afternoon there is an interval after which polling starts again. Everybody is now anxious to cast vote before the time fixed for it. So there is a great rush at the booth.
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After the election time is over, boxes are sealed and taken to the place of counting. The candidate with the majority of votes secured is declared elected. He is garlanded and taken in procession through main bazars, amidst great rejoicings.